Big bonito, yellowtail targeted by Harbor area anglers

JIM NIEMIEC

Schools of big bonito have moved into local waters and the action on

boneheads weighing in the two- to six-pound class is getting the

attention of anglers heading out on half and three-quarter day trips

running from Newport Sportfishing Landing and Davey’s Locker. The

bonito have been showing between the Horseshoe Kelp, all the way

south to San Onofre and around Catalina Island. When schools move

under a boat the bite has been pretty explosive on both bait and

jigs.

Calico and sand bass are also being sacked by sport anglers along

the coast and Catalina, some boats are stopping on breezing schools

of barracuda and bottom fishing is starting to improve with the

cooling water temp and mild fall weather. Floating kelp patties in

the channel are still holding some small yellowtail and San Clemente

Island has been kicking out some toad forktails for passengers

heading to this outer island on overnight trips.

Only a few yellowfin tuna are being caught on the troll and with

water temperatures between 67 and 68 degrees it looks like the tuna

season has come to an end after rewarding anglers with some pretty

good fishing. According to J.D., at J.D.’s Big Game Tackle on Balboa

Island, most of the action on yellowfin is taking place off Point

Loma where boats are still heading to Mexican waters on overnight

trips which are producing limits of small tuna when the right kelp is

found.

Marlin moved south and only a few fish have been spotted by yachts

still fishing around Catalina Island. There is a pretty good spot of

sea life between the 270 Spot and the west end of Catalina where

there is still a possibility of hooking a striped marlin. Reports of

big balls of bait, thousands of porpoise and big flocks of birds

could mean that something may pop up before the next northwesterly

blows through.

Fishing has been very good off Baja for multi-day trips making

runs to Guadalupe Island and high spots farther down the Baja

coastline. This outdoor editor just returned from a 5-day trip aboard

the 93-foot sportfisher First String sponsored by Daiwa, which

targeted big yellowfin tuna at the island. Fishing was just fair for

tuna in the 60- to 100-pound class due to heavy pressure from boats

anchoring up on the lee side of this island. Most of the tuna that

would bite during our three days at the island were a little line shy

and would only bite 40-pound mono or lighter. Seaguar fluorocarbon

leader and sharp Owner or Hayabusa 3/0 hooks seemed to be the perfect

combination when soaking a live sardine off the stern of the

sportfisher.

The trip did produced some quality yellowfin in the 80-pound

class, but unfortunately the bulk of the big tuna hooked fell victim

to the tremendous population of Great White sharks that have moved in

to take over as top predator of the sea. More than 60 per cent of the

big tuna hooked during this trip were lost to sharks that waited

under the boat for an opportunity to steal an easy meal. Chef Bill

Gaul of Huntington Beach had a good trip and seemed to have no

problem in setting the hook on yellowfin topping off his first trip

with a 40-pound tuna. This writer also got pretty lucky landing tuna

weighing up to 69-pounds, but then lost the last fish of the trip

when a 14 foot Great White gulped down everything up to the head of a

tuna. That fish would have easily weighed more than 85 pounds, but

the aggressive nature of this shark made watching the movie Jaws seem

like a cartoon. For booking information on four- to six-day trips

aboard the First String call their San Clemente office at (949)

498-6149.

Trout season opens for Irvine Lake on Thursday. The water

temperature has dropped into the high sixties and lake conditions are

ideal for a massive stocking of 10,000 pounds of rainbow trout.

Opening weekend should produce prime trout action and then another

load of 10,000 pounds of trout will be stocked to pump up the fishery

for the winter season. For more information on fishing Irvine or

reserving a boat call (714) 649-9111. Anaheim Lake is still producing

some catfish on cut bait fished in deeper water and the trout opener

for the Santa Ana River Lakes has been tentatively set for Oct. 28,

depending on how fast the lakes fill.